To use this spreadsheet enter your data in the shaded cells.

All calculations are done

automatically.
This Excel workbook was developed by Gale Scholten (N8GS) using data collected
for many different sources. I've tried to cover a lot of ground with this project but
as with all such projects it is possible that an error may have crept into the data.
Please confirm the results obtained before spending your hard earned money.
Much of the example data included in this spreadsheet was obtained by testing the
various items on my 30 ft. 5th wheel. I hope this will provide you with a solid
starting point as you calculate your power needs.
Note that electrical name plates list the MAX power used NOT the average power.

A wire sizing section is included to make it easier to pick the proper size wire to
use. Pay close attention to the Wasted Watts and voltage drop columns. Wasted
watts is power that the solar panel is generating but never gets to the batteries
because it is wasted in heating the wires. Bigger wire = less resistance = less heat =
less wasted power.

Panels wired in series provide higher working voltage (like batteries in series)
which will allow the use of smaller wire BUT it will require the use of a MPPT
style charge controller. You will need to decide for yourself which way best meets
your present and future system requirements. If 3 - 12 volt panels with a Max power
point voltage of 17 volts are to be installed in series then the input voltage to the
charge controller will be 51 volts. Also check to insure that the open circuit voltage
of the panels will not exceed the charge controllers maximum input voltage.
Be sure to measure the space you have available for your PV panels. Will they fit
and will there be a problem with nearby items casting shadows onto the panels?
Could the TV antenna or A/C unit be a problem?
.
 Load Calculation Worksheet
Step 1 Calculate your AC loads. If there are no AC loads, skip to Step 2.
Description of AC Loads Run by an inverter Watts X Hrs/Day = Ah/Day
Microwave 1950 X 0.1 = 15.5
TV and antenna amplifier 32 X 2 = 5.1
Satellite receiver 15 X 2 = 2.4
Computer 35 X 1 = 2.8
Blow Dryer 900 X = 0.0
Electric Skillet 1200 X = 0.0
Toaster 950 X 0.1 = 7.5
Fan 25 X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
AC Ah/Day including inverter losses 39.1 Ah
Inverter efficency ---->> 85%
Inverter DC input voltage; This is the DC system voltage.---> 12.6 V

Step 2 Calculate your DC loads.

List all DC loads in the spaces below. Watts X Hrs/Day = Ah/Day
Furnace 114 X 1 = 9.0
Water pump 60 X 0.1 = 0.5
Lights w/ 921 bulb (18w/bulb) (dining table) 36 X = 0.0
Bath area Lights all LED 16 X 0.5 = 0.6
3 LED Light fixtures 24 X 1 = 1.9
2 LED reading lights 16 X 2 = 2.5
Inverter idle current 11 X 6 = 5.2
Bath Vent fan 12 X 0.3 = 0.3
AM/FM radio 6 X = 0.0
Refrigerator (what is your duty cycle?) 7 X 12 = 6.7
Water Heater 7 X 0.6 = 0.3
Fan 8 X = 0.0
HP photo printer 30 X 0.2 = 0.5
HF radio 75.6 X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
X = 0.0
Phantom loads (control circuits, LP detector , refrig) 7 X 24 = 13.3
Total amp hours per day used by DC loads. DC Ah/Day 40.9 Ah
Total amp hours per day used by all loads. Total Ah/Day 80.1 Ah

2
 Battery Bank Sizing

1. Total amp hours per day needed to recharge the battery bank. (See solar array sizing page) 80.1
2. Maximum number of days with no recharge. 2
3. This is the Ah used + the extra amps needed to compensate for conversion losses. 160

5. If you are using a lead-acid battery, select the multiplier below which corresponds to the
battery's average ambient temperature: 1
If you do not intend to discharge below 50% this is your minimum battery size =====> 320 Ah @ 50% DOD

This is your suggested battery size in amp-hours if using 80% of the capacity ==> 200 Ah @ 80% DOD

Battery Temperature
Capacity adjusted
Multiplier charging
Table voltage
80°F/26.7°C 1 14.60
70°F/21.2°C 1.04 14.77
60°F/15.6°C 1.11 14.93
50°F/10.0°C 1.19 15.10
40°F/4.4°C 1.3 15.26
30°F/-1.1°C 1.4 15.43
20°F/-6.7°C 1.59 15.60
 Solar Panel Array Sizing
1. Total amp hours per day from the Load Calc Worksheet 80.1 Ah
2. Multiply line 1 by 1.25 to compensate for loss from battery charge/discharge. 100.1 Ah
3. Average sun hours per day in your area of interest. 6 hr/day
4. This is the average Ah rate required for daily recharge. 16.68 A
5. Watt hours needed to recharge the battery bank. 1261 Wh
Watts/hr. needed to replace 1 days useage assuming 85% efficency 240 Watts of tilted panels

For recovery from a cloudy period double the panel wattage.

Double the panel size if used flat in the winter

Size the wire between the solar panels and the charge controller to provide a voltage
drop of less than 2%. Use the copper wire table to help with this calculation and don't
forget that the wire needed is twice the distance from the solar panels to the charge
controller.
 Wire Sizing chart 59
8
50
Percent
Wire Dia. Wire Size Wire Voltage Wasted Output
Ohm/1000' Voltage
(inches) AWG Resistance drop Watts Voltage
Drop
41.020 0.0159 26 2.05100 16.408 38.5% 131.3 42.59
25.670 0.0201 24 1.28350 10.268 21.1% 82.1 48.73
16.200 0.0253 22 0.81000 6.480 12.3% 51.8 52.52
10.128 0.0320 20 0.50640 4.051 7.4% 32.4 54.95
6.386 0.0403 18 0.31930 2.554 4.5% 20.4 56.45
4.018 0.0508 16 0.20090 1.607 2.8% 12.9 57.39
2.524 0.0641 14 0.12620 1.010 1.7% 8.1 57.99
1.589 0.0808 12 0.07945 0.636 1.1% 5.1 58.36
0.999 0.1019 10 0.04995 0.400 0.7% 3.2 58.60
0.628 0.1285 8 0.03140 0.251 0.4% 2.0 58.75
0.395 0.1620 6 0.01975 0.158 0.3% 1.3 58.84
0.248 0.2043 4 0.01240 0.099 0.2% 0.8 58.90
0.197 0.2294 3 0.00985 0.079 0.1% 0.6 58.92
0.156 0.2576 2 0.00780 0.062 0.1% 0.5 58.94
0.124 0.2893 1 0.00620 0.050 0.1% 0.4 58.95
0.098 0.3249 0 0.00490 0.039 0.1% 0.3 58.96
0.078 0.3648 00 0.00390 0.031 0.1% 0.2 58.97
0.062 0.4096 000 0.00309 0.025 0.0% 0.2 58.98
0.049 0.4600 0000 0.00245 0.020 0.0% 0.2 58.98
Input Voltage
Amps 472 watts
Length of wire in feet (both + and - conductors)
Peukert Formula - Battery Run Time to Depletion

Peukert's Exponent 1.192

Batt Bank Capacity Ah 600
Amp Hour Time Rating 20
Total Amp Depth of Discharge
Hours 15%
Discharge Rate in Amps Time in hours Available 20%
24.0 26.09 626.3 50%
36.0 16.09 579.4 80%
48.0 11.42 548.2
60.0 8.75 525.2
120.0 3.83 459.8
180.0 2.36 425.3
240.0 1.68 402.5
300.0 1.29 385.6
360.0 1.03 372.3 Enter a specific
420.0 0.86 361.5 discharge rate
480.0 0.73 352.3 30
540.0 0.64 344.5
600.0 0.56 337.6

Notes
Trojan specs their battery recharge effi

Battery
Capacity Adjusted
Multiplier charging
Table voltage
80°F/26.7°C 1 14.80
70°F/21.2°C 1.04 14.97
60°F/15.6°C 1.11 15.14
50°F/10.0°C 1.19 15.30
40°F/4.4°C 1.3 15.47
30°F/-1.1°C 1.4 15.64
20°F/-6.7°C 1.59 15.81

Note: charging voltages

above 15 volts may
damage some electronic
equipment.
 Ah used
90 Ah
120 Ah
300 Ah
480 Ah

Battery Life

4.0 hr 20% DOD

10.0 hr 50% DOD
16.0 hr 80% DOD
20.0 hr 100% DOD

cs their battery recharge efficency at 89%.

 System upgrade cost estimator (2011 prices)
Estimated
Qty Item
Unit price

Kyocera KD135GX $390.00

2 Kyocera KD235 $455.00
50 #12 2 conductor cord $1.20
15 #10 wire $0.80
#8 wire $1.00
45 #6 wire $1.25
#4 wire $1.90
4 #2 wire $2.25
#1 wire
1/0 welding cable
10 2/0 welding cable $4.00
Junction box on roof $15.00
1 Outback FM60 charge controller $529.00
1 RTS Remote temp sensor $29.00
FM60 remote display $257.00
sets of mounting hardware $42.00
15 amp 125 volt Fuse block @ PV panels $15.00
15 amp fuse $3.00
1 300 amp Battery fuse block /w fuse $90.00
1 Xantrex Linklite battery monitor w/ shunt $248.00
6 #6 x 5/16 copper lugs 0.85
4 2/0 x 3/8" copper lugs $1.25
10 2/0 x 5/6" copper lugs $1.25
2/0 split bolts $6.00
1 IOTA 90amp w/IQ4 $345.00
22 LED panels to replace 921 bulbs $18.00
4 Trojan T1275 batteries 12V (150Ah each) $199.94
2 MC4 extension cable - 6 feet $20.00
3 50 amp Buss CB $29.00
1 32 gal Blue Boy $279.00
1 Macerator pump $259.00
Total
Extended
cost

$0.00
$910.00
$60.00
$12.00
$0.00
$56.25
$0.00
$9.00
$0.00
$0.00
$40.00
$0.00
$529.00
$29.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$0.00
$90.00
$248.00
$5.10
$5.00
$12.50
$0.00
$345.00
$396.00
$799.76
$40.00
$87.00
$279.00
$259.00
$0.00
$4,211.61
 Parallel resistor Calc.

R1 350 R1 500 R1 600

R2 10000 R2 1000 R2 1000
R3 10000 R3 2700
R4 10000

Result = 338.1643 R result = 322.5806 R result = 318.7721

Wheatstone Bridge

Supply Voltage 12.6

R1 10000
R2 10000
R3 10000
Rx 10010

Voltage inbalance= 0.0031

Temperature compensation chart by Mark Siminoff - siminoff@gmail.com
What is the float voltage setting ? 13.40 V
What is absorption voltage setting #? 14.80 V
What's the temp' compensation coefficient? 0.028 V/°C

ºC ºF 13.40 14.80
0 32 14.10 15.50
1 34 14.07 15.47
2 36 14.04 15.44
3 37 14.02 15.42
4 39 13.99 15.39
5 41 13.96 15.36
6 43 13.93 15.33
7 45 13.90 15.30
8 46 13.88 15.28
9 48 13.85 15.25
10 50 13.82 15.22
11 52 13.79 15.19
12 54 13.76 15.16
13 55 13.74 15.14
14 57 13.71 15.11
15 59 13.68 15.08
16 61 13.65 15.05
17 63 13.62 15.02
18 64 13.60 15.00
19 66 13.57 14.97
20 68 13.54 14.94
21 70 13.51 14.91
22 72 13.48 14.88
23 73 13.46 14.86
24 75 13.43 14.83
25 77 13.40 14.80
26 79 13.37 14.77
27 81 13.34 14.74
28 82 13.32 14.72
29 84 13.29 14.69
30 86 13.26 14.66
31 88 13.23 14.63
32 90 13.20 14.60
33 91 13.18 14.58
34 93 13.15 14.55
35 95 13.12 14.52
36 97 13.09 14.49
37 99 13.06 14.46
38 100 13.04 14.44
39 102 13.01 14.41
40 104 12.98 14.38
41 106 12.95 14.35
42 108 12.92 14.32
43 109 12.90 14.30
44 111 12.87 14.27
45 113 12.84 14.24
noff@gmail.com